13 Pages
by Firey-Moonlight
Summary: Charden summarizes his strange relationship with Durham, and how the Apostles of the Stars react. DurhamxCharden with slight CreedxTrain, yaoi, one-shot.


**I'm basing Durham on the manga version, he's more bloodthirsty there **

I

The first time they meet, Charden only nods respectfully. Durham is an experienced Tao user like him, and they both share common ideologies. At least, that was what Charden thought at first, until he finds out that Durham joined more for the fighting then to actually bring about change for the world.

Charden will tolerate him, because brutes like Durham, who only lived for the pleasure of fighting and inflicting pain on others were easy to manipulate for their cause. They don't need to understand, they just need to learn to obey. Charden exploits this accordingly, pointing Durham to where Chronos members may be, and letting the brute fight as much as he wished.

II

Durham loves action, he runs and moves and waves his arms, pointing his revolver with flair. He sneers and laughs and loves to trash talk, insulting his enemies with ease and trampling on their hopes. He is arrogant, even when dealing with his comrades. For the most part they know how to deal with him.

Creed knows how to put him back in hin place, his Imagine Blade easily deflecting the bullets Durham takes such pride in. The same goes with the Doctor, but Durham doesn't do much against him, Charden thinks Durham is freaked out by the man's attitude. As for Shiki, after his bugs got into Durham's revolver there hasn't been any trouble between them. Echidna smiles falsely at him, humouring his arrogance, which drives Durham up the wall but he never gets a chance to do anything because Echidna has no problem with walking away from him when she senses trouble.

Charden knows she does that only to humour Creed with his no-fighting rule between Apostles, he knows she can be as trigger-happy as Durham.

Leon doesn't acknowledge the masked figure unless he has too, his gaze apathetic and detached, no doubt seeing Durham as another stupid adult with a taste for war. Maro gets along fine with Durham, not minding the man's arrogance or bloodthirsty attitude. Kyoko is cheerful as ever, not treating Durham any different. Charden takes it upon himself to keep a watch on her, and never leaves the two of them alone.

Eventually, he realizes that like Leon, his way of dealing with Durham was to ignore him unless he had something to say.

III

On the battlefield Charden doesn't move much. He usually remains in the same spot, only his hands move, because his Tao adjusts the distance between him and an opponent. Charden is a polite man, even when talking to his enemies, and he deems it below his level to sweat like a common labourer. His opponents are usually killed swiftly unless he wants information, and he takes care to avoid harming the lives of innocents. Chronos, only Chronos, was his aim. The battlefield was another angle from which he could see differences between himself and Durham, who did not care about innocents.

Yet they also share similarities. Echidna once casually mentioned that Charden and Durham looked as if they took advice from the same fashion consultant and modified it accordingly. They both have long hair, but while Durham lets his grow to give him a much wilder look, Charden keeps his hair clean and styled. They both wear a hat to distract onlookers, Durham's of rough leather while Charden's is made of sleek black silk. Their faces are never fully revealed, Durham has a metal mask of what appeared to be sharp teeth, giving his appearance a ferocious look; Charden's sunglasses simply makes him seem aloof.

The first time they spar – on the Doctor's command, who claimed it was important to judge their abilities before the Apostles finally came out of the shadows – Durham fires without regard, as if it was a real battle and Charden was an enemy, not a comrade engaged in a friendly duel. He laughs and calls out to Charden, mocking him, and then getting mad when Charden doesn't fight back. Durham seems to believe Charden was not taking him seriously.

Kyoko cheers loudly on the sidelines, and Charden calmly pulls one of his white gloves off with his teeth. Durham is amazed when Charden takes out a dagger and slices his own flesh, and is more shocked by the Grim-like figure that forms out of Charden's blood. The battle ends with Charden as the victor, he hasn't moved from his starting position, but he is surrounded by his blood creations. During the quick battle, their hats remained on their heads and their faces remain half-hidden.

Neither has seen the other's completes face, Charden thinks they are simply not interested.

IV

Durham's been showing an unhealthy amount of fascination for him. The bloodthirsty man cannot get over his ability to control his blood for battle.

Charden is starting to get unnerved by the other man, who follows him without trying to hide and whose eyes gleams with something akin to predatory hunger.

V

Kyoko is young and cheerful and _very_ observant. She notices something is wrong with him and instantly demands they go out for a bit, and he goes with her. Out in the sunlight his top hat and black cloak attracts attention, but they both learn to ignore it. Charden allows himself to relax with her, though he is on guard for any member of Chronos.

She drags him here and there, tasting samples of new foods and buying them without thinking. Charden chastises her gently, but instead of stopping her, she cheerfully announces it was shopping time for him and he is given a kitty keychain that looks out of place among all his black.

He is reminded of himself in the street they are in, filled with people Kyoko's age and as happy and loud as she is. He doesn't belong with these people, he thinks, or maybe he is referring to the cowboy hat he sees from the corner of his eyes, following them. He isn't sure whether Kyoko is aware of it or not, but he smiles faintly at her – and she is so amazed, because he has never smiled before, only smirked, and she feels excited because she is the only person to see it – and keeps the keychain.

Later that night, he hears news of a murdered shop owner. It was the same shop Kyoko had brought the keychain from.

VI

The first time Charden sees Durham without a mask, he curses himself for not seeing it sooner.

Really, Charden was no fool, he was calm and analytical and it had worked to his advantage more then once. He should have picked up the signs, the stalking, the gleam in Durham's eyes, the increasing run-ins they've been having, Charden should have known.

He had returned tired that night, after another fight with Chronos' lackeys. Charden had taken off his hat, picked up another horror novel, sat on a comfortable armchair and started reading. Sometime while he was reading the novel, he had fallen asleep. For how long he wasn't sure, but he had woken up when something pressed against his lips.

Charden had jolt awake quickly, pushing the pressure away and springing to his feet. He didn't know what he was expecting at the time, but he sure did not expect to see Durham standing there in front of him, his metal mask in one hand and his face just inches from his own.

There were many things he could say, many questions he could ask, and plenty of accusations and threats to throw, but Charden simply said "There's a limit to how much I will overlook, Durham Glaster."

VII

There's blood on the floor and blood on the walls and even blood on the ceiling. There are bodies on the floor and bodies against the wall and bodies on the chairs and tables and counters and the whole thing looks like a scene out of Charden's horror novels. Yet the blond man is sitting on a sofa talking on his cell phone, telling Kyoko that no, he did not think Leon would appreciate that strawberry scented shampoo Kyoko was begging him to buy for the Wind User.

Eventually he hangs up and returns to the master bedroom, where the target is held in midair by a bloody snake-like shape. Charden had used it to keep the man silent when he answered Kyoko's call. Politely apologizing for the interruption, Charden finishes the job and a bloody sceptre appears, killing the man before he can reply.

Not a single drop of blood stains Charden's black cloak, and the one white glove he is wearing remains pristine. Then Charden feels the barrel of a gun behind his head and he knows he is not going to be walking away clean. "You must be a pretty miserable man, Durham."

The bed is clean, and Durham leads him there, the gun making sure Charden does not – can not – turn around. Charden knows he can fight back, but he doesn't.

VIII

His skin is no longer unblemished, there are marks everywhere and sometimes he has difficulty walking. Luckily his black coat hides his skin and any trace of a limp.

Durham takes him anywhere he can, an empty room, a quiet hallway, almost every time Charden is out on a mission. It's always from behind, and starts with a revolver pressed against Charden's head. Charden hates the vulnerability this forces onto him, and he writhes in pain every time Durham gets too rough. He stops after realizing that only turns Durham on more.

But while he may be the one on the receiving end, in the aftermath it is Charden who calmly sits back up and leaves. Durham cannot keep him, and it is the only time Charden actually uses his powers to ensure it stays that way.

IX

Creed is too obsessed with his fantasies of Train, but Shiki and the Doctor notices the slight changes he's been showing. Charden hears Shiki discussing him with Maro, and the cool, calculative look on the Doctor's face every time he looks at Charden makes his hair stand on an end. Echidna treats him fine, as if nothing has happened, but he notices the new layer of frost coating her voice whenever she speaks of Durham. As for the youngest member, Leon, even he eventually caught on.

Leon doesn't appear to have much reaction, but Charden knows that it can't simply be consequence that Leon suddenly seems to appear every time Durham and Charden are in the same room. As a result, Charden does his best to keep Kyoko in the shadows. He wonders whether he is succeeding, she is too observant for her own good, even if she fails to react properly.

There's been no confrontation though, not because anyone was afraid, but because none of them were sure how willing or unwilling Charden really is.

X

A week passes by before Durham corners him again. The man must be feeling bold, because he comes for him not when Charden is out on a mission, but in Charden's own room in the Apostles of the Stars' hideout. Anyone can hear them, anyone could walk in and catch them, but Durham acts as if it wasn't a possibility.

The barrel behind his head and the push to the bed is familiar, but for the first time Durham is gentle. Charden is surprised, but he says nothing, passive and accepting as usual. He allows the hands to touch his hair and stroke his skin, and he reacts accordingly. Durham has long abandoned his revolver, and when he collapses on top of the blond, for the first time he whispers words of love.

Charden says nothing, not even a refusal.

It was the first time Durham left first after one of their sessions.

XI

The next day, there is no sign of Durham. His room is empty and no one has heard a word from him. None of their comrades has any idea where he was.

Doctor eventually puts forward the idea that Durham had gone to challenge Train. No doubt the Black Cat has caught the Shot User's interest, as Creed had nothing but praise for the former assassin's skills. Durham, also a gun wielder, cannot resist what was so obviously a chance to prove his superiority and power. Creed snarls and his expression is furious, no doubt angry that the order to _leave Train Heartnet alone_ was not obeyed by his subordinate. Then the same angry expression changes to maniacal laughter as Creed declares Durham a fool. In Creed's opinion, Durham can only lose.

Shiki suggests they find Durham before he gets out of hand. He offers the services of his information-gathering insects, saying they will find him fastest. Doctor agrees, looks at Charden and says he should go bring their Shot User back when they find where he is.

Creed waves away the suggestion, saying that Durham needs to learn a lesson. Charden isn't sure whether he is relieved or not.

XII

Charden dreams of gunshots and blood. He sees a bloody Durham and an equally bloody Train Heartnet, he hears them panting and he can see Durham laughing and sneering and just acting like himself. It's not that different from the one time Charden engaged in battle against him.

In his dreams he sees windblown desserts and a vast land of nothingness, he has never been there but Durham occasionally likes to talk about his homeland and his words can be quite descriptive. Charden remembers shaking his head in pity, Durham can be pretty good with words, what a waste that he loses himself in bloodlust. If the pen is mightier then the sword, then Durham could have been great. Of course, Chronos censors any works that might be seen as criticizing them, so maybe it isn't all Durham's fault.

Sometimes, Charden dreams that he is standing in a puddle of blood, and Durham is lying in the center of it. Durham is looking at him, as passive and accepting as Charden is whenever they're in one of their sessions, and the dream-Charden takes Durham's blood into his own body to strengthen his power. That Charden would leave Durham to die.

Other times, the dream-Durham is still covered in blood but he is very much alive and well. The Shot User grabs Charden as he approaches and is as rough with him as their first time, forcing Charden to writhe and scream and bite until blood flows. Blood that Durham licks off with sadistic lust, until he finally tires of the Blood User. When that happens, the revolver is pressed against his head, or sometimes his heart, and Durham actually pulls the trigger.

Whatever the dream, Charden wakes up gasping and almost fearful.

XIII

Durham has returned, Shiki informs him. Go find the younger members and bring them back to headquarters.

Charden obeys, and very soon all the members of the Apostle of the Stars are gathered in one room. Durham is standing there, his clothes and face roughened, made more obvious by his missing metal mask. Judging by his face, it was obvious the duel between him and the Black Cat had not gone as he planned. Nobody looks surprised, Charden sure isn't, but it is still the first time he sees Durham without his mask outside of their sessions.

Durham does not look at him, Charden can understand. He himself stays silent and aloof, hidden behind his dark sunglasses.

Shiki yells, and Durham retaliates with his typical arrogance. Creed addresses him calmly, and still Durham yells. Obviously, he has forgotten his place, and the wide gap in power between him and their leader. Creed does not tolerate such actions. Still, Charden is surprised and horrified when a thick spurt of blood escapes Durham. The cowboy's face is as surprised as he is.

"_Like I said_," Creed sneers coolly, "_I beg to differ_."

Durham's body is given to Doctor for experimentation, after the corpse becomes useless for further research, it will be disposed of by Shiki's bugs. There will be no funeral, proper burial or cremation. Durham must have known this would be his fate should he go against Creed's orders.

Outside with Kyoko, Charden removes his hat, and his sunglasses eventually follow. Kyoko becomes excitable and is full of delight as she comments on how she's never seen his full face before. The Blood User smiles at her childish attitude, and doesn't mind how she turns his head this way and that. Durham won't be the only one who's seen his face.

Charden can summarize their relationship in thirteen parts, such an unlucky number; it was only fitting that former Chronos Number Thirteen will be the one to end Durham. The Black Cat may have not killed Durham with his own hands, but he was still the cause for Creed to decide that Durham deserves death.

Durham never learned to obey after all, and for that he was punished. Brutes like him only existed to be manipulated, when they get out of hand, they would be put down.

Charden looks at his hat and sunglasses, thinks about the similar disguises he shares with Durham, and puts them back on.

**I CALL FIRST DURHAMxCHARDEN!! Really, Durham doesn't have enough attention, but I guess he was killed too quickly both in the manga and anime. When I first saw him I thought OMG SO COOL but then he had to go after Eve**** and Annette like that…**


End file.
